Background
On January 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued the Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order which directed the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that aliens comply with their duty to register with the government under section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1302).
The Immigration and Nationality Act requires that all visitors to the United States, who are fourteen years of age and older, register with the federal government when staying in the United States for 30 days or longer.
Anyone who has been issued one of the documents designated as evidence of registration under 8 CFR 264.1(b) has registered. This includes visitors admitted to the United States as non-immigrants who were issued an electronic Form I-94 admission record. This is proof of your legal entry into the United States. An electronic I-94 is automatically generated for travellers, upon being granted entry to the U.S., including for most Canadians. However, in some situations, an I-94 may not have been generated.
What steps should snowbirds take?
1) Snowbirds are advised to check to see if they were issued an electronic I-94 upon entry to the United States. This can be done by visiting, https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/home.
Select “Get Most Recent I-94,” agree to the terms of service, then enter your traveller information. This includes your first and last name, date of birth, country of citizenship and your document number (passport number).
If your latest I-94 appears, there is no further action required on your part. An electronic I-94 means you have already registered with the federal government.
2) If an I-94 has not been found, it is advised that you register with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). At this time, the registration portal is not active. Once the registration process is implemented, travellers can submit their registration through a USCIS online account. The CSA will be providing members with further information and instructions once the registration process is available.
Canadian Snowbird Association (CSA) representatives are currently working with Congressional representatives to amend this registration requirement and exempt Canadian travellers from having to register with USCIS.
We will be providing members with timely updates through our email advisories as soon as we have further information.
